"A
View of the Capitol of the United States after the Conflagration of 24
August 1814"By George Munger, 1814
Courtesy of the Library of Congress

After
the fire, the Capitol was a smoke-scarred shell, its central section completely
destroyed. The roof of the House had collapsed and the Senate chamber
was gutted. Most of the buildings artwork had cracked and blistered.
The Capitols furniture and window frames had been used to fuel the
fire and the librarys 3000 books were ash.